NEWS
Saint Peter’s Honors Three Employees Celebrating 50 Years of Service
May 15, 2026
New Brunswick, N.J. – May 15, 2026 – Saint Peter’s Healthcare System has a long-standing reputation for delivering quality healthcare services in tandem with compassionate care. Whenever a patient or family member shares a success story about their experience at Saint Peter’s, a recurring theme in each is the way they were treated by everyone they encountered—from physicians and nurses to technicians and administrative staff. There seems to be a “magic” ingredient that every employee possesses, regardless of their position at the hospital.
A closer examination of the situation reveals that the employees find their tasks and responsibilities rewarding as is evidenced by their longevity of service. Three employees marking 50 years each were recognized with Saint Peter’s Service Awards. Each of those honored shared their personal story about how they arrived at their current position and the secret behind what’s kept them at the organization well beyond the average term of employment, not just here, but anywhere. Here are some of their stories:
Ruth Bellan, BA, AAS-N, RNC, Mother-Baby Nurse
“To this day, when I wake up and think about coming here, it is something I feel so positive about; it makes me look forward to every day. Over the years, I’ve worked per diem at other places, but Saint Peter’s has always been my home.”
Thomas’ wife Bonnie also works for Saint Peter’s. She worked for 43 years in the intensive care unit before retiring. As for the biggest change that Thomas has witnessed in his half century working as a CAT (computed axial tomography) scan technician, he recalls that the hospital performed five CAT scans a day back in 1983; today they perform six an hour.
Joanne Augimeri, RN, Clinical Nurse Coordinator, Operating Room (OR)
According to Joanne Augimeri, who marked 50 years in the operating room, coming to Saint Peter’s was “fate.”
“I wasn’t supposed to be here,” she says. Joanne first arrived at Saint Peter’s with her mother who was applying for a job in the business office. Joanne had already planned to start work at another hospital but decided while she was here that it wouldn’t hurt to apply for the open position in the OR. While her mother didn’t get the job, Joanne did, and has been at Saint Peter’s ever since.
Joanne credits her longevity in the position to the co-workers she enjoys working with, many who have become lifelong friends along the way. “It’s a great place to work,” she says. “I’ve learned so much from my fellow colleagues and we found connection through shared values, so much so that it feels more like a family than a job.”
Joanne has seen tremendous changes during her 50 years in the operating room. She is amazed with the evolution of technology, continuing to see an increase in procedures performed via robotics along with the ability to approach surgical cases laparoscopically versus the number of traditional open surgeries that used to be the norm.
"For nearly 120 years, we've been a cornerstone of the New Brunswick and greater Middlesex County community, saving lives, healing the sick and infirmed, and bringing new life into the world,” said Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System. “But what really sets us apart is the 'magic' of Saint Peter's: the unwavering compassion of our dedicated staff! Their shared commitment to our Catholic mission of service and the friendships that have developed as a result of countless hours spent together caring for others is why Saint Peter’s has many employees with decades of service. "
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About Saint Peter’s Healthcare System
Saint Peter’s Healthcare System Inc., parent company of the Saint Peter’s healthcare delivery system, is comprised of Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital and state-designated children’s hospital and regional perinatal center that includes a nationally renowned Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Saint Peter’s Foundation, the fundraising arm of the hospital; Saint Peter’s Health and Management Services Corporation; the CARES Surgicenter; and Saint Peter’s Physician Associates, a network of primary and specialty care physician practices. Saint Peter’s is a regional specialist in cancer care, diabetes, genetics, geriatrics, head and neck surgery, and pediatric surgery, and is a sponsor of residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and internal medicine. Saint Peter’s University Hospital received its seventh consecutive designation as a Magnet® hospital for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2025, along with its first Magnet with Distinction®. Saint Peter’s is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen and is a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers Biomedical Health and Sciences. Visit saintpetershcs.com or call 732-745-8600.
A closer examination of the situation reveals that the employees find their tasks and responsibilities rewarding as is evidenced by their longevity of service. Three employees marking 50 years each were recognized with Saint Peter’s Service Awards. Each of those honored shared their personal story about how they arrived at their current position and the secret behind what’s kept them at the organization well beyond the average term of employment, not just here, but anywhere. Here are some of their stories:
Ruth Bellan, BA, AAS-N, RNC, Mother-Baby Nurse
Ruth Bellan was introduced to Saint Peter’s by a friend who was working there and told her about an open position as a part time unit clerk in orthopedics. She interviewed for the position, was hired, and then transferred to a full-time role in the nursery after finishing nursing school. In addition to her role as a Mother-Baby nurse, Saint Peter’s has been witnessed to many of Ruth’s personal life cycle events. She met her husband at Saint Peter’s, delivered all three of her babies here and two of her grandchildren were born here.
What stands out most in her mind are the amazing changes she has seen over the years regarding the progression and advances of modern medicine. When she started, syringes were still made of glass and needles were still being sharpened by hand.
“It’s been such a privilege to be part of the team in the nursery. If I had to describe the past 50 years in just a few words, I’d say it’s been a privilege and a joy,” she says.
Thomas Lynch, RT, CAT Scan Technician
“To this day, when I wake up and think about coming here, it is something I feel so positive about; it makes me look forward to every day. Over the years, I’ve worked per diem at other places, but Saint Peter’s has always been my home.”
Thomas’ wife Bonnie also works for Saint Peter’s. She worked for 43 years in the intensive care unit before retiring. As for the biggest change that Thomas has witnessed in his half century working as a CAT (computed axial tomography) scan technician, he recalls that the hospital performed five CAT scans a day back in 1983; today they perform six an hour.
Joanne Augimeri, RN, Clinical Nurse Coordinator, Operating Room (OR)
According to Joanne Augimeri, who marked 50 years in the operating room, coming to Saint Peter’s was “fate.”
“I wasn’t supposed to be here,” she says. Joanne first arrived at Saint Peter’s with her mother who was applying for a job in the business office. Joanne had already planned to start work at another hospital but decided while she was here that it wouldn’t hurt to apply for the open position in the OR. While her mother didn’t get the job, Joanne did, and has been at Saint Peter’s ever since.
Joanne credits her longevity in the position to the co-workers she enjoys working with, many who have become lifelong friends along the way. “It’s a great place to work,” she says. “I’ve learned so much from my fellow colleagues and we found connection through shared values, so much so that it feels more like a family than a job.”
Joanne has seen tremendous changes during her 50 years in the operating room. She is amazed with the evolution of technology, continuing to see an increase in procedures performed via robotics along with the ability to approach surgical cases laparoscopically versus the number of traditional open surgeries that used to be the norm.
"For nearly 120 years, we've been a cornerstone of the New Brunswick and greater Middlesex County community, saving lives, healing the sick and infirmed, and bringing new life into the world,” said Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System. “But what really sets us apart is the 'magic' of Saint Peter's: the unwavering compassion of our dedicated staff! Their shared commitment to our Catholic mission of service and the friendships that have developed as a result of countless hours spent together caring for others is why Saint Peter’s has many employees with decades of service. "
###
About Saint Peter’s Healthcare System
Saint Peter’s Healthcare System Inc., parent company of the Saint Peter’s healthcare delivery system, is comprised of Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital and state-designated children’s hospital and regional perinatal center that includes a nationally renowned Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Saint Peter’s Foundation, the fundraising arm of the hospital; Saint Peter’s Health and Management Services Corporation; the CARES Surgicenter; and Saint Peter’s Physician Associates, a network of primary and specialty care physician practices. Saint Peter’s is a regional specialist in cancer care, diabetes, genetics, geriatrics, head and neck surgery, and pediatric surgery, and is a sponsor of residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and internal medicine. Saint Peter’s University Hospital received its seventh consecutive designation as a Magnet® hospital for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2025, along with its first Magnet with Distinction®. Saint Peter’s is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen and is a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers Biomedical Health and Sciences. Visit saintpetershcs.com or call 732-745-8600.